The Phulwarisharif block office near Patna. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna, April 21: Performance-based appraisal is a common thing in corporate world, not so in the government sector, where seniority decides a financial remuneration.

Taking a leaf out of corporate culture, the rural development department in the state has decided on such appraisals for its officials from the current fiscal.

The department has decided to introduce this system for deputy development commissioners (DDCs) and block development officers (BDOs) who play a key role in the implementation of projects of the department.

To rule out possibility of personal bias while assessing the performance of these officials, a well-designed appraisal format has been developed in which marks to a given official would be awarded solely on the basis of his achievements against the given targets.

Given the fact that DDCs and the BDOs have to take responsibility for implementing certain schemes of other departments also, the rural development department has earmarked just 50 per cent of the total 100 marks on the basis of which appraisals are to be done.

“In letters sent to district magistrates briefing them about the appraisal system, we have mentioned that the weightage for different work not belonging to our department should be decided by them and a format should be developed accordingly for the comprehensive assessment of the DDCs and BDOs,” rural development department Nitish Mishra told The Telegraph.

In case of BDOs, out of the 50 marks given for their performance in implementing rural development department schemes, the department has given a 20-mark weightage to the implementation of Indira Awas Yojana and the same weightage for schemes falling under National Rural Livelihood Mission. Work related to below poverty line list and public grievances have been given weightage of 5 marks each.

The marking would be done on the basis of percentage of achievements against given targets. The marks have also been fixed for the different percentage of achievements.

The same method has been applied in the case of DDCs, the only difference being that in case of this rank of officials achievements made in schemes under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act too would be taken into account.

The assessment of these officials would be done twice a year and the first assessment would be done at the end of the first six months of the fiscal.

“The appraisals would be of great help for us as it would give us an idea about the performance of field officials and enable us to assess their achievements,” Mishra said.